How to distinguish real stones from fakes. Natural stone or fake: how to distinguish real from artificial

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How to distinguish a natural stone from a fake at home?

Natural stone is created by the forces of nature itself, and therefore it is unique in its variety of shades, patterns, shapes. A person, on the other hand, carefully processes and polishes a natural stone, due to which its surface becomes smooth and shiny from a rough one.

Often, instead of a real natural material, you can find its artificial counterpart. Imitations may differ slightly from the original, but fakes are produced on a large scale. Of course, synthetic "stones" have almost the same parameters - physical properties and color characteristics as natural stones, but their cost is much lower. In the conditions of modern technologies, rubies, emeralds, alexandrites, sapphires and even diamonds can be artificially created.

It is worth noting that good quality synthetic materials also have a fairly high price, which is why sometimes they practically do not differ from real ones.

How to distinguish natural stones from artificial ones?

To determine a fake at home, you will need the following tools and materials:

Household kitchen scales

The acquisition is verified in the following way:

Tactile - natural material heats up a little longer (for this you can light a match and hold the stone over the fire); in addition, natural stones have a lower temperature to the touch. So you can distinguish amethyst, rock crystal or quartz from simple glass.

Visually, the stone is viewed under a magnifying glass. So, in a real ruby, you can see cracks in the form of zigzags (artificial rubies also have cracks, but they are even and straight), in a fake emerald, drawings under a magnifying glass add up to tubular and spiral patterns.

Note: any natural stone, upon careful examination, will have small flaws, cracks, dimples with a white coating.

The mineral aquamarine will definitely change its color when viewed from different angles - not very much, but the difference in shades will still be noticeable. Chrysolite with lapis lazuli have uniform colors, but fake turquoise easily stains a damp cloth with which the stone was wiped.

Using a lamp - this is how you can check a diamond. By directing the light flux strictly at a right angle, you can trace the glow of the faces - a real diamond will shine through and its back faces will shine. Interestingly, if the ruby ​​is also illuminated, then its zigzag-shaped cracks will not glow. But labradorite can create the effect of a real Northern Lights.

By smell - if you bring a lit match to amber beads, then during combustion the smell of resin should be released. If the amber is “immature”, then spotted burns may appear on it. And any fake will emit a synthetic smell.

By hardness - for example, a diamond can cut glass, it will definitely leave scratches on the surface. But the diamond is not afraid of sandpaper - if you rub the diamond surface with it, then there should not be any changes.

According to thermophysical properties, the same amber becomes electrified after rubbing with a piece of wool. And this is also how a grenade is checked - if you put a cork on the scales, install an electrified stone on top and bring a magnet to it, then the arrows of the scales will move like a pendulum.

“I actually think that American gentlemen are the best of all, because when you kiss your hand, you can feel something very, very good, but unlike kisses, diamonds and sapphire bracelets are forever.”

Anita Luz, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, 1925

What makes a stone precious? Experts identify a number of criteria, external and internal signs, including beauty, rarity (singularity), wear resistance (strength, hardness). In the fashion world they say that a talented model should not be perfectly beautiful, her beauty is precisely in "ugliness" - unusualness and dissimilarity to others. The same is true for gems: in nature, it is rare to find flawless and impeccable purity gemstones, therefore, if such samples come across, they reach a very high value on the market. Synthetic stones, in turn, have the best quality characteristics, but are cheaper in the ranks.

The internal features of the stones (inclusions, zonation or distribution of color, growth microstructures) also help to establish whether the stone is natural or artificially grown. For a more detailed observation, it is recommended to use a magnifying glass or a microscope.

Here are some of the most common gemstones in the jewelry industry and some ways to identify them. (diamond, ruby, sapphire, aquamarine, emerald, garnet).

Brilliant (diamond)

Presumably natural if:

It has visible inclusions of minerals;

Almost all the light that hits the surface of the stone is reflected, like from thousands of mirrors, from its lower faces. Therefore, if you look at the light through a diamond, you can see only a luminous point, and if you put on a diamond ring, then the stone will not shine through (it is impossible to see a finger through a diamond);

Hydrochloric acid does not scare him;

Due to its physical properties, it leaves scratches on the polished surfaces of other stones and on glass, which do not disappear even when wiped with a damp cloth. Therefore, for tests, choose surfaces that you don’t feel sorry for;

In methylene iodide or monobromide monoftlen (solutions with a refractive index close to spinel and sapphire), the stone does not disappear, but shines brightly. Accordingly, diamond substitutes in the form of spinel and sapphire will not be visible in solution. A similar (slightly less distinct) result is obtained by immersing stones in an aqueous solution of glycerin;

Use the old smugglers' method. A diamond is immersed in water, if it is natural, it will not be visible in clear water;

The stone is synthetic if:

It contains inclusions of metals (iron, nickel, manganese);

A characteristically uneven zonal-sectoral distribution of fluorescence ( the luminescence of a substance that occurs as a result of its illumination and quickly decays after cessation) under ultraviolet light. Cross-shaped patterns of UV fluorescence are often observed. For the above method of verification, a special device is needed.

IN as an imitation diamond use rhinestones, crystal glass, plastic, colorless zircon, strontium titanite; synthetic rutic, colorless spinel, colorless sapphire, etc. Some fakes are easy to distinguish by eye:

They do not have such brightness and glow as natural and even synthetic diamond;

They age from time to time (facets are erased, the shine becomes dull).

For difficult cases the following methods are used to determine the origin of diamonds: color and spectral cathodoluminescence, spectroscopy in the visible and infrared regions, luminescence spectroscopy, etc.

Corundum (ruby, sapphire)

Ruby rather of natural origin, if:

He is not very big. Rubies of large size are rarely found in nature;

There are internal defects;

If bubbles are present in the internal structure of the stone, they are often the same color as the stone;

When magnified, needle-like inclusions are visible;

The stone has high strength (second only to diamond), leaves scratches on surfaces with a lower strength index;

There is no cleavage, it is almost impossible to break it;

In bright light, the color of the ruby ​​becomes darker;

It may have cracks in a zigzag shape, without radiance.

Has the corresponding certificate and indecently expensive.

Ruby is synthetic if:

Has a pronounced ideal shape;

Curvilinear zoning is observed;

There are inclusions of gas bubbles;

Very strong red UV fluorescence is characteristic, if UV light is directed at the stone, the synthetic ruby ​​will turn orange;

When examined in detail with a magnifying glass or microscope, in stones grown by the hydrothermal or flux method, there are inclusions of a crucible (platinum, gold, copper) or flux;

There are irregular growth microstructures (with hydrothermal synthesis);

It has a crack of the correct (straight) form, with radiance.

Sapphire

Presumably natural if:

It is presented in different colors and shades (colorless, black, yellow, orange, purple, etc., the most valuable is blue), the effect of milky fog can be traced on the stone - white highlights (especially in Kashmir sapphire);

Kashmir sapphire does not change color under artificial light, is considered a reference sapphire;

Zonal coloration is characteristic;

There are inclusions of rutile (needle-shaped fibers that form an angle of 60 degrees when crossing), which are visible under a magnifying glass;

There are inclusions of zircon (a feature of stones of Ceylon origin);

Under the light of an electric lamp, the stone acquires a purple hue. This indicates the presence of chromium in the composition and again indicates a Ceylon origin;

May appear black in artificial light (Australian sapphires);

There is a grayish metallic sheen (this indicates the American origin of the stone);

There are internal defects;

- the stone has high strength, leaves scratches on surfaces with a lower strength index;

It has a certificate of quality and is very expensive.

The refinement of corundum is given out by "fire signs" from heat treatment, contrasting zonal coloring and other indicators.

Tanzanite (visible reddish tint), spinel, aquamarine (visible greenish tint), indicolite may appear to be sapphire substitutes, but are easily identified with a refractometer (a device for measuring the refraction of light) and in some cases by eye.

Synthetic sapphire if:

It looks more beautiful than natural, there are no natural inclusions, impurities, gas bubbles, curved color lines;

Under ultraviolet rays, the stone acquires a green tint (indicates the presence of titanium);

There are impurities of gold, copper, platinum.

Imitation sapphire made of plastic, rhinestone (glass), etc. If everything is clear with the listed materials - their origin is usually determined by eye, then composite stones can cause difficulties. Composite stone (doublet, triplet) consists of several parts. At the top, a natural stone is often placed, to which an imitation of a similar color is glued. In a closed frame, it is quite difficult to identify a fake, even with the use of a refractometer, but if you look at the stone in profile, under magnification and in bright light, then the adhesion of the composite stone can be clearly identified. In addition, usually natural insert and imitation differ in color.

Beryl (aquamarine, emerald)

Aquamarine natural origin, if when touched with the tip of the tongue, coldness is felt. All imitations of this stone feel warmer to the touch. Synthetic aquamarine is not grown yet, all aquamarine fakes are either spinel or glass.

Emerald rather natural if:

- it is transparent and has an evenly distributed saturated color from yellow-green to blue-green;

- almost always there are splits and cracks on the stone;

- an appropriate document is attached to it and a high price is set.

The stone is synthetic if:

- has a rich bluish-green color;

- when magnified, twisted veils are observed;

- there are inclusions (tubular, brownish - Fe oxides);

Increasingly, fakes and low-quality goods are found in jewelry stores. On the shelves of shops there are jewelry with precious and synthetic inserts. Sometimes the buyer is deceived, and instead of a gem, he receives an imitation. The topic of artificial minerals excites the entire jewelry world. Even a gemologist will not be able to visually distinguish all the products with a magnifying glass. How to recognize a gemstone without special education?

Artificial stones are:

• synthetic;
• ennobled;
• imitation.

Only in the laboratory can one distinguish a synthetic crystal from a natural one. The composition and structure of minerals are identical. The main physical properties of analogues are close to natural ones.

Gemologists also define refined crystals, which undergo the following processing:

• staining;
• waxing (waxing/oiling);
• coating (coating);
• heating (heating);
• filling (filling);
• irradiation;
• whitening.

These data must be indicated in the certificate that is attached to the stone. In some stores, information is not conveyed to the client. The buyer can purchase an ennobled ruby, the cost of which is 5 $ ct at the price of a natural ruby ​​- 10,000 $ ct. The consumer can go to court, and such a transaction is regarded as fraud.

The Jewelry Confederation has developed a document for trade organizations. According to the prescription, special terminology accepted throughout the world should be used. . How to know if a gem is or not? This information can be obtained from the certificate.

In the civilized world, precious minerals are sold only with a certificate. To confirm the document, you can contact the laboratory.

The most prestigious logo on jewelry is Gübelin. The Swiss brand produces jewelry of the highest quality.

In jewelry stores, a certificate is issued for each stone. The document states:

• size;
• color;
• proportions;
• purity;
• defects;
• cutting method;
• place of extraction.

The stores assure the buyer that all products are checked for compliance. How to determine whether a real stone or not, standing at the window? All grown minerals are ideal.

How to identify a real stone yourself?

There are simple ways to define imitation:

• warmth;
• aurally;
• by weight;
• fingernail.

The mineral must be picked up and held. Natural material is cold and heavy. All minerals have inclusions. The product is viewed under different lighting conditions. To do this, use a magnifying glass, choosing a model with a magnification of 10 times. When viewed, the crystal is moved up and down to get a clear image at depth.

The gem can be wiped with a damp cloth. If there is a trace of paint on the fabric, do not buy decoration.

The purity and ideality of the stone is a sign of a fake. Before buying a gem, you should study the following information:

• shades of crystal;
• cutting methods;
• Place of Birth.

Synthetic crystal is determined using an ultraviolet flashlight. If the stone has a bright glow, then it is synthesized.

Natural stone scratches glass. There are ways and signs by which the authenticity of a crystal is determined.

Corundum

The physical properties of natural and synthetic corundums are close. For the recognition of natural and synthetic rubies, sapphires, the presence of inclusions and cracks is important. How to determine whether stone or glass is in front of you? For this purpose, use a strong magnifying glass.

Natural rubies contain rutile. A feature of natural ruby ​​​​is spotted coloring. Natural sapphires contain gas-liquid inclusions. A sign of their naturalness is zonal coloring.

Features of synthetic corundum:

1. Gas inclusions of various sizes and shapes.
2. Curvilinear color distribution.

Natural sapphire is similar in color to velvet. Spinel fake will be darker. If a beam is directed at natural sapphire, it will be in the form of a six-pointed star. Natural sapphire cannot be scratched with a fingernail or knife.

Emerald

If you look at a natural crystal with a magnifying glass, you can see cracks with gas-liquid inclusions. Sometimes they are mistaken for air bubbles in a fake.

Synthetic emeralds can be checked by pointing an ultraviolet flashlight at them. If the stone luminesces in an unnatural color, it is synthetic. Natural has a reddish-brown tint under ultraviolet light. This method is not accurate. Colombian emerald will not change its color.

How to determine whether a natural stone or artificial? The natural mineral has clear edges, while the synthetic ones are erased. Artificial crystal - with a yellowish tint.

Smaller emeralds are glued into one piece. Other crystals are used for fakes. This is how large samples are obtained by gluing a small emerald with synthetic spinel, beryl, quartz.

High-quality emerald has a rich color. By the nature of the inclusions, the gemologist determines the deposit of the stone. Emeralds from Colombia are tinted. You can check this at home. The mineral is placed in water with washing powder.

Amber

There are several ways to determine the authenticity of amber:

1. Natural amber will always float on the surface of a saline solution (4 tablespoons per glass of water).
2. Attach a red-hot needle to amber. It smells of resin - a natural stone, plastic - a fake.
3. If amber is rubbed against natural fabrics, it becomes electrified. Finely chopped paper will be attracted to the stone.

An ultraviolet filter is used for research. Transparent amber will luminesce blue and green. An opaque copy gives a milky tint, and an untreated one gives a brown one.

Pearl

A natural formation extracted from shells is heavier than a fake. Pearls have an uneven surface, while imitations have a smooth one. If two pearls are rubbed against each other, they cling.

One of the most reliable ways is to run pearls across the teeth. Natural stone creaks. If a pearl is dropped on the floor, it will bounce. Natural pearls can be scratched and leave no trace. The price of natural, cultivated and imitation is different.

What stones imitate?

Glass and plastic are often used to fake jewelry stones. With the help of these materials, such stones are imitated: carnelian, chrysoprase, turquoise and so on. Spinel and glass are used to fake a ruby.

Glued doublets are also used. Stones are combined with glass. How to distinguish gemstone from glass? A fake is easy to recognize with a magnifying glass. Bubbles will be located at the gluing site.

To simulate precious minerals use:

1. Lower quality natural minerals.
2. synthetic stones.
3. Glass.
4. Plastic.
5. pressed crystals.
6. Compound stones (doublet, triplet).

It is difficult to determine the authenticity of jewelry without special knowledge. When buying a gemstone from a jeweler, it is best to contact an appraiser.

Mineral quality assessment

Gemological examination is the study of the authenticity of stones. Quality control of products is as follows. The first assessment is visual. A gemologist examines a mineral with a magnifying glass. During this inspection, marriage is eliminated:

• chips;
• scratches;
• abrasions.

There are characteristic inclusions for each mineral. The gemologist sends the product for additional research if he finds signs of:

• uneven coloring;
• bubbles.

The following devices are used in the centers of expertise and evaluation:

1. Refractometer.
2. Polariscope.
3. Chelsea filter.
4. Jim tester.

Using a polariscope, the extinction of the sample is determined. A gemologist will immediately be able to determine whether it is glass or a mineral.

A refractometer measures the amount of refraction, which is different for each material. An immersion liquid is used for research. Using a pipette, apply a few drops and cover with a protective glass. Readings are taken after 30 seconds. After that, they compare it with the data in the table and determine which mineral was brought for evaluation.

How to distinguish natural stone from artificial? The Chelsea filter helps establish the origin of emeralds, sapphires and rubies. Some gemologists believe that the device has lost its relevance. Synthetic emeralds are difficult to distinguish even with the help of equipment.

The Jim Tester measures the thermal conductivity of a mineral.

The laboratory determines:

• authenticity;
• origin;
• the presence of refinement.

The principle of grading a stone is called the "rule of 4 Cs". These are criteria such as weight, color, purity and quality.

Synthetic stones

Analogues are created specifically for jewelry, while the price of products is lower. Synthesized minerals have:

• maximum purity;
• high optical properties;
• color saturation.

In addition to analogues that have similar properties, scientists have created artificial stones - cubic zirkonia and others.

The production of synthetic products is growing, and technologies are improving. The buyer has the right to choose. Some want to have unique stones, others are only interested in external beauty. The consumer wants to receive the product that is indicated on the tag.

An important attribute of a precious stone throughout the world is a certificate. Experts note that in the trade and production of diamonds, certificates have become much more important than in any other area. Here, the “paper”, reflecting the quality of a diamond, has investment significance. Stones are a profitable investment object. Every year they grow in price, despite market fluctuations.

The certificate gives the stone individuality, raises its value, sometimes by a third. Shadows or deviations in the color and quality of a stone can change its market value hundreds of times! Many banks are already preparing to work with precious stones as a collateral fund, the popularity of which is beyond doubt. An important problem is the customs examination of stones. There are practically no knowledgeable specialists on the Russian borders, and therefore there is nothing easier than organizing the illegal export and import of jewelry.

There are cases when in some stores, under the guise of aventurine, customers were offered ... ordinary plastic, under the guise of coral - a shell. Under the self-made magnificent name “Black Star”, the mineral hornblende was hidden, in one store on the window there was “quartz-diopside” that did not exist at all in nature (this name is not found in any reference book). As usual, the plant trusts the supplier, the shops trust the plant, the buyer trusts the sellers. As a result, it happens that in some cases, consumers wear rings with synthetic stones instead of natural ones for years.

Fraudsters profit from the gullibility of ordinary buyers who want to purchase gold or silver jewelry encrusted with precious stones at an attractive inexpensive price. Fianites are found in jewelry where a diamond should have been, and plastic instead of amber in a silver necklace.

Avoid buying fake jewelry with inlays
gemological examination will help.

Gemological examination begins with the definition of a precious stone. Then experts prove its natural origin and look for traces of possible refining. After that, the quality of the gemstone is assessed, but not its value. The final price of a stone is determined by the market and includes, in addition to the cost of the stone, many other components.

The oldest fraud
Since ancient times, various imitations have been used instead of precious stones, up to plain glass. Even Pliny the Elder (a Roman polymath writer) believed that: "There is no occupation more profitable than the forgery of precious stones." Since then, the art of forgery has advanced markedly. In the Middle Ages in the East, they discovered a way to refine sapphires, turning gray stones into more expensive blue ones by annealing. Nowadays, methods for refining natural, but low-grade stones include not only annealing, but also irradiation, filling cracks, and surface coating. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the main operation for counterfeiting precious stones has been the substitution of natural synthetic stones, which are produced on an industrial scale. They completely repeat all the physical properties and appearance of natural ones, and even better in quality than them, but usually much cheaper. Compare, for example, the cost of a natural ruby ​​with the cost of a synthetic ruby: a flawless, good-colored natural ruby ​​weighing 5-10 carats can cost several thousand dollars per carat, while a synthetic ruby ​​of the same size costs only a few dollars per stone. Today, synthetic emeralds, rubies, sapphires, alexandrites are grown on an industrial scale, and, for example, topazes and tourmalines are economically unprofitable to grow in large volumes.

If earlier only colored stones were faked, now diamonds can turn out to be synthetic or ennobled. They can be easily replaced by rhinestones, which can acquire any color, up to the colorless inherent in diamonds.

Purity is a sign of a fake
For different stones, there are different categories of imitation. For example, in most cases, turquoise is sold pressed on the jewelry market. It is made from natural chips by sintering. In nature, turquoise grows in the form of threads, large nodules are very rare and, accordingly, cost fabulous money. When buying precious items with turquoise inlays, experts advise paying attention to the structure and color of the stone. The stones with visible inclusions of other minerals, with a heterogeneous color, are most valued. Absolutely pure turquoise, as well as amber, should alert the buyer.

deceptive tags
Price is also one of the main criteria for identifying a stone. But very often even specialists are “burned”, not to mention ordinary people who buy jewelry once a year as a gift to their loved ones. And it is hardly possible to reproach the sellers and merchandisers of jewelry stores with unprofessionalism, because when they receive the goods, they only superficially examine the products, relying on the lengthy inscriptions on the tags. For example, one of the jewelry stores received a batch of silver items with blue stone inserts, the tags had the inscription “Sapphire сz.”. Experts found it difficult to answer what kind of stone it was. It turned out that this is cubic zirconia, which is called “zirconium cube” abroad (abbreviated as “cz”, which was reflected on the label). Or some manufacturers instead of the inscription "synthetic emerald" write "emerald vyp.", Which means grown emerald. From a legal point of view, there is nothing to complain about, but the average buyer can easily be deceived. In general, the International Gemological Confederation defines the norms for signing inserts in jewelry, but these norms are not federal law, so manufacturers sometimes write the name of the product incorrectly.

circular trust
It is no secret that the trade is not yet very profitable to check jewelry: the buyer is not spoiled, he will take anything. As a rule, buyers who purchase products in small stores selling products of dubious quality, working with resellers, turn to experts for help. Defects are most often associated with the quality of the metal and inserts.

For example, an examination of a ring with a very large, unconventional cut topaz was carried out. A week after the purchase, the insert was lost, the results of the examination showed that a manufacturing defect was allowed: a technically ill-conceived setting of the stone was chosen.

Another reason to turn to experts is the situation of purchase and sale, when it is necessary to evaluate a product that has been inherited, for example (the tags have not been preserved) or an exclusive piece of jewelry made to order.

Often, citizens are deceived when buying jewelry abroad. In Thailand, Italy, Israel, you may be offered to buy jewelry at a lower price, of course, sellers hope that you will not have time to detect a fake in time and are unlikely to return to hand over the product.

There are many cases related to improper handling of the product by the buyer during the wearing period. As a rule, in these cases, the examination makes a decision in favor of the seller. Here is a specific example: a woman bought an expensive set with opals and went on vacation to Thailand, where she sunbathed, swam in the sea without removing her jewelry. As a result, the stones have changed their appearance. The fact is that many stones (opals, corals, turquoise, etc.) are chemically unstable. Therefore, when buying a product, you should consult with a specialist about the rules for wearing and caring for the product.

Rules to follow when buying jewelry
- in all stores in a conspicuous place there should be information about the rights of the buyer and the obligations of the seller of jewelry. Get to know her;

- carefully read the price tag and tag (label) of the product;

- do not hesitate to ask the seller with maximum meticulousness about the quality and characteristics of the product, and first of all about whether the stone in front of you is synthetic or natural. If natural, then was it subjected to refining - exposure (tinting, oil impregnation, heat treatment) in order to hide defects and give a better look;

- most importantly - require a sales receipt indicating all the important characteristics of the product. This document will allow you, if necessary, to defend your rights in court.

How to distinguish natural gemstones from synthetic (artificial) stones

SCIENTISTS GROWED THE HARDEST DIAMONDS FROM A GAS MIXTURE

Making a material that is harder than natural diamond has been the goal of materials scientists for many years. According to NTR.Ru, a group of specialists from the Geophysical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution has created large diamonds (comparable to jewelry in size), which are superior in hardness to other crystals. Moreover, the researchers grew crystals directly from the gas mixture a hundred times faster than is possible using other modern methods.

Large crystals were grown in just one day. Moreover, the diamonds turned out to be so strong that they broke the measuring equipment. The researchers created the crystals using high-speed chemical vapor deposition, a new process developed by them. Then they subjected them to high temperature treatment under high pressure to make them stronger.

Crystals up to 10 mm in diameter and up to 4.5 mm thick were grown. They turned out to be 50% harder than regular diamonds.

At present, when jewelry with synthetic stones is increasingly found on the market, the question of their identification and difference from natural stones is acute.

Why is it important to distinguish natural stones from synthetic ones? One of the attributes of a gemstone is its rarity. Pure flawless stones are rare in nature, so their value sometimes reaches a very high level. Synthetic gemstones, on the other hand, almost always have higher quality characteristics than natural stones, but cost significantly less than the best natural stones. Compare, for example, the cost of a natural ruby ​​with the cost of a synthetic ruby: a flawless, good-colored natural ruby ​​weighing 5-10 carats can cost several thousand dollars per carat, while a synthetic ruby ​​of the same size costs only a few dollars per stone. If buyers of an expensive stone are not sure of its natural origin, this will undermine the demand for a product of this kind, which, of course, will have negative consequences for the market.

Which of the features of natural and synthetic stones can distinguish them from each other? In nature, the formation of a precious stone takes several tens or even hundreds of thousands of years. In the laboratory, growth can take anywhere from a few hours to (at most) a few months. Also, in the laboratory it is impossible to recreate a process that completely repeats the natural one, so it seems logical to assume that in any crystal of artificial origin, signs can be found due to the conditions of its growth, which will distinguish it from natural stone. Naturally, for crystals obtained by different synthesis methods, such properties may differ.

What signs do gemologists pay attention to when diagnosing the origin of a stone? First of all, these are the internal features of the stone, such as inclusions, zoning (distribution of color), microstructures of growth, for the observation of which a magnifier or microscope is used.

There is a wide variety of synthetic stones on the market today. It is impossible to tell about all of them in the framework of this article, so we will dwell on only some of them in more detail.

SYNTHETIC DIAMONDS In the last decade, great progress has been made in the field of synthesis of gem-quality diamonds. Modern technologies make it possible to obtain gem-quality diamond crystals weighing up to 10-15 carats. In this regard, the market has increased the likelihood of jewelry with synthetic diamonds. In some cases, it is possible to distinguish between natural and synthetic diamonds, for example, inclusions of minerals indicate a natural origin, while inclusions of metals (iron, nickel, manganese) indicate a synthetic one. Synthetic diamonds are also characterized by an uneven zonal-sectoral distribution of fluorescence in ultraviolet light (cross-shaped figures of UV fluorescence can often be observed), on the contrary, natural diamonds are characterized by a uniform or irregular distribution of UV luminescence. However, in some cases, the use of more complex methods for studying a substance is required, such as color and spectral cathodoluminescence, spectroscopy in the visible and IR regions, and also luminescence spectroscopy.

SYNTHETIC RUBIES AND SAPPHIRES Today, there are many synthetic rubies and sapphires on the gemstone market, grown by various synthesis methods, each of which has its own distinctive features. Thus, most of the synthetic rubies and sapphires found on the market were obtained by the Verneuil method, the distinctive features of these stones are curvilinear zoning (which is not observed in natural stones), sometimes they contain inclusions of gas bubbles. Verneuil synthetic rubies are characterized by very strong red UV fluorescence. Rubies and sapphires grown by flux and hydrothermal synthesis methods are the most difficult objects for diagnostics. However, in most cases, it is possible to distinguish them with a magnifying glass or a microscope: flux rubies and sapphires are characterized by inclusions of flux and materials of the growth chamber (crucible) - platinum, gold and copper, and a distinctive feature of hydrothermal corundums is irregular growth microstructures.

SYNTHETIC EMERALD In the last decade, in addition to a large number of hydrothermal rubies and sapphires, most synthetic emeralds are also obtained by this method and are produced in Russia and China. Such emeralds are characterized by tubular inclusions, brownish inclusions of iron oxides, as well as growth and color zoning. In some cases, synthetic emerald crystals may lack the listed characteristics, then IR spectroscopy is used to diagnose them.

SYNTHETIC QUARTZ The most important variety of synthetic quartz found on the market is hydrothermal amethyst. This jewelry material is widely used in the trade mainly because of the strong resemblance to its natural counterpart and the difficulty of distinguishing them. Although inclusions and characteristic twinning structures sometimes make it possible to distinguish between natural and synthetic amethysts, in most cases an unambiguous diagnosis is possible only with the use of complex spectral research methods.

Another important synthetic quartz is ametrine, which was commercially produced by hydrothermal processes in 1994. Synthetic ametrine can be identified by a number of features, including color zoning and twinning patterns. Methods for determining the chemical composition of impurities and IR spectroscopy are also used for diagnostics.

How to distinguish natural gems from imitations (fakes)

Synthetic stones with a good reputation can rise in price and be in demand just like precious stones, and rare specimens can even become collectibles. In general, we can conclude that synthetic gems can coexist peacefully with natural ones, rather complement each other than compete.

Several types of artificial gemstones enter the modern jewelry market. Precious stones synthesized (grown); synthesized crystals of compounds of the group of rare earth elements that are not found in nature, such as cubic zirkonia (diamond imitation); imitation of precious stones from famous glass, which are mainly used in costume jewelry and easily “by eye” differ from precious stones in terms of low hardness; as well as doublets - composite gems glued together from two different minerals.

Aquamarine

This mineral is very similar to topaz in color and even inclusions. However, topazes do not have inclusions characteristic of aquamarine that resemble white chrysanthemums. Also, aquamarine is imitated, both with ordinary glass and with less valuable minerals: synthetic spinel, artificial quartz. You can distinguish them from real aquamarine simply by looking at the stone from different angles: at the same time, aquamarine slightly changes the color scheme, but there is no imitation.

There are no synthetic aquamarines on the jewelry market. The imitations sold under this name are actually bare spinel or glass.

All glass imitations feel warmer to the touch, unlike real stone. If the stone is not set in the frame, holding it with tweezers (so as not to heat it from the hands), touch it with the tip of the tongue - the stone should be cold.

Alexandrite

This is a very rare stone, large specimens are unique. Alexandrite jewelry is very expensive. Alexandrites are forged with rubies with multicolor properties of the mineral under different lighting conditions. This effect is called pleochroism. Also counterfeit glass.

Diamond

The method of obtaining this mineral was based on the concept of the transformation of graphite into diamond. Even at the end of the XVII century. I. Newton suggested that diamond - this hardest mineral - should burn. The Florentine Academy of Sciences donated a diamond crystal for the experiment. It turned out that before burning, diamond at a temperature of 110 ° C turned into graphite. Scientists have decided that the reverse transformation into a diamond is also possible. Many scientists tried to get artificial diamonds. But there was still no success, while the work was carried out without knowledge of the laws of synthesis.

Colorless zircon, synthetic rutic, strontium titanite, synthetic colorless spinel, synthetic colorless sapphire are used to simulate diamond.

When examining a diamond with the naked eye or with a 10x magnifying glass, it must be taken into account that it is processed in such a way that almost all the light entering the stone through the crown is completely reflected from its back faces, as from a series of mirrors. Therefore, if you look at the light through a cut diamond, only a luminous point in the stone will be visible. In addition, if you look through a diamond that is in a ring put on a finger, then it is impossible to see the finger through it.

The chemist Klaproth determined that a drop of hydrochloric acid does not affect diamond, but leaves a cloudy spot on zircon.

Diamond leaves a scratch on the surface of the glass, as well as on the polished surface of other stones. When a cut diamond is pressed firmly against the surface of a specimen, the diamond "clings" to it, leaving a visible scratch that does not disappear when rubbed with a wet finger. For such a test, the least noticeable place is chosen.

To distinguish diamond from spinel and synthetic sapphire, the stones are immersed in a colorless liquid with a refractive index close to that of spinel and sapphire (methylene iodide or monoftlen monobromide). Spinel and sapphire simply won't show up in liquid, and diamond will shine brightly. A similar, but less distinct, "disappearing" effect of a fake diamond is produced by plain water and glycerin. In the same way, simpler and cheaper fakes for a diamond are isolated - lead-rich crystal glass.

Diamonds are counterfeited quite often with minerals such as monsoonites (practically indistinguishable without special equipment), cubic zirkonia, leucosapphires, etc. You can distinguish a fake from a genuine diamond by looking at any lighting device. It is necessary to hold the stone with a crown perpendicular to the light source. In a genuine diamond, the facets located at the back will fully glow. But this is not yet a guarantee of authenticity. You can also check the mineral for authenticity due to its hardness property. If you rub a diamond with sandpaper, it will not leave scratches, on other minerals it will leave roughness. If you run a diamond over stones that have a lower hardness (for example, sapphire or emerald), then a real diamond will leave scratches on such minerals. Synthetic diamond substitutes will not have any inclusions or bubbles inside, while a real diamond will definitely have it.

Amethyst

Amethysts are pure and bright in color. The properties of real and synthetic amethyst are very similar and it is not easy to distinguish between them. The artificial mineral is now used by jewelers quite often, since it is produced on an industrial scale, in contrast to them, colored amethyst-like cubic zirkonia can be recognized: they heat up faster, this can be found out, for example, by applying them to the face.

Turquoise

It is even faked with plastic, which, of course, is not as porous and not even as the real one. Imitation glass has small bubbles in its structure, which cannot be said about real stone. Also, by refining in the laboratory, low-grade turquoise is converted into high-quality turquoise. There, small particles of turquoise can be glued together, and treated with temperature, and much more. Enamel, compressed turquoise powder, and the cheap mineral Howlite are also given out as turquoise. Howlite looks like turquoise when dyed. In general, natural turquoise without defects is an almost improbable phenomenon.

Crystals made from crushed turquoise with glue are difficult to distinguish from real ones. And only over time, fakes acquire a dirty shade.
Heliodor

Heliodor - lemon shade is precious if it is pure, without inclusions. If the stone does not meet these parameters, then it is not valuable. The natural mineral Heliodor, when held over glass, will leave a mark, since it is much harder than glass.
Rhinestone

Artificial rock crystal is obtained from quartz mixed with lime and soda. Dishes are also made from this mineral. The stone is also forged with plain glass. The difference between real rock crystal is that it does not have high thermal conductivity, unlike fakes. Looking into the inside of a natural mineral, one can see there, as it were, a slight haze. Rock crystal glistens, like glass, not shimmering with iridescent colors, unlike diamond.

Real rock crystal is always cool to the touch.

grenades

Garnets are precious stones that have the power of magnetic attraction. Some other stones are also determined by magnetism. To do this, a stone (previously weighed) is placed on a high cork (to separate it from the metal pan of the scales), which is placed on the bowl. After the scales are balanced, a small horseshoe-shaped magnet is slowly brought to the stone until it almost touches the surface of the stone. If the mineral has a noticeable magnetism, then the balance will be disturbed when the magnet is 10-12 mm from the stone. Record the minimum weight that is "held" by the magnet. The difference between them by the true weight will characterize the attraction of the stone to the magnet.

The grenade is lucky in the sense that it is almost never faked. He must thank for this the unique features of his nature, as well as his rather inexpensive cost. The fact is that garnet has magnetic properties. If you want to distinguish a real pomegranate from a fake right in the store, you will need the actual magnet, metal scales and a cork. We put the cork on the scales, put a mineral on it, then we bring a magnet to it, and the arrow of the scales will begin to oscillate. An even simpler method for determining a natural stone concerns its size, because the garnet itself cannot be larger than the "Bob". In practice, the size of the stone does not exceed the size of the grain of the plant - Pomegranate.

Pearl

The secret of pearl cultivation was discovered in China, and this craft flourished there for seven centuries. In 1890, the Japanese adopted the experience of growing pearls and created an entire industry. The Japanese were among the last to develop the cultivation of pearls without a nucleus, in which a piece of the mantle tissue of another mollusk is inserted into cuts in the mantle of a mollusk. Pearls grow quickly, yield is high. If the mollusk, after the removal of the pearl from it, is returned to the sea again, you can again get pearls from it. Such pearls are also called cultured. Since 1956, the pearl growing industry began to develop in Australia.

The word "pearl" without definitions is allowed to be used only for natural pearls. Large pearls are considered collectible and are sold separately at a higher price. 70% of pearls are sold as beads.

Pearls found in nature are of much greater value than cultured pearls due to the insertion of a bead into a clam shell. Natural pearls of large size are very expensive, unlike analogues. An X-ray machine, having illuminated the internal structure of pearls, will help to distinguish cultured pearls from natural ones.

Emerald

Emeralds can be subjected to the process of refining, since the price of the mineral is directly dependent on the saturation of color and hue. Artificial refinement reduces the value of the stone. As a result of refining, the color and clarity of the stone can be improved, and the brilliance can be transferred as a result of applying a special coating.

Synthetic emeralds were only made in the laboratory of Carroll Chatham, a San Francisco chemist, for many years. Now on an industrial scale, emeralds are produced by a number of companies, and methods for the production of synthetic emeralds are constantly being improved, so that synthetic emeralds are practically indistinguishable from natural ones.

The characteristic features of synthetic stones are twisted veils.

Quartz

Quartz can be distinguished from glass by touching the stone and glass with the tip of the tongue. Quartz is much colder.

Lapis lazuli

It will be difficult for even an inexperienced eye to confuse with something else, because it has a pure saturated blue color. Imitations are paler, they can be azurite, dumortierite, lazulite, sodolite. They also fake dyed jasper, dyed synthetic spinel under lapis lazuli - these fakes will leave a strong mark after themselves in a glass of clean water. True lapis lazuli is not.
Moon rock

Imitation is both glass and plastic, non-uniformly colored. The only thing that cannot be conveyed in imitations is a million shades of colors when the mineral plays in the light. Also, sparkles will flicker inside the mineral. Analogues, such as artificial spinel and white chalcedony, can only be distinguished using x-rays. In a real moonstone, under the influence of X-rays, a light lilac glow is detected. Another fake is "opal glass". Here, to determine the true moonstone, we need a magnifying glass tenfold, through which the layered structure of the stone can be seen.

Ruby

This is the first gemstone that began to be obtained at the beginning of the 20th century on an industrial basis on a large scale. According to recent reports, the production of synthetic rubies has reached one million carats. Artificial rubies are used for jewelry, and the difference in prices between natural and synthetic is very large.

First of all, it must be remembered that pure, densely colored large ones are extremely rare in nature. This fact alone calls into question the natural origin of a large ruby.

The cost of quality rubies can be equal to the price of a diamond. A real ruby ​​is not devoid of natural microscopic inclusions, defects, even if it seems perfectly transparent to the naked eye. You can scratch another mineral with a lower hardness characteristic with a ruby ​​- scratches will be visible. Stones that are small in size and have a cloudy structure, inlaid in gold and silver items, are rather real. Because because of the inexpensive price, it makes no sense to fake them. Under ultraviolet light, a fake ruby ​​will become an orange hue.

There are popular ways to determine the naturalness of a ruby:

1. When a mineral is placed in a glass dish, a reddish light will pour out of it.

2. Milk in a glass will become slightly pink - if it contains a ruby.

3. From one corner the mineral is pale, from the other - a dark red hue

4. In natural ruby, the crack is zigzag-shaped and does not glow brightly when illuminated, unlike imitations, where the crack is straight and shines.

5. Natural ruby ​​in inclusions rarely has bubbles, and if they do, then in color, they do not differ from the color of the mineral. In fakes, the bubbles may be lighter, they may be empty inside.

6. If you put a real stone on your eyelid, it will stay cold for a long time. Synthetic substitute or glass quickly changes the temperature to a warmer one.

Sapphire

It is possible to distinguish a real sapphire from numerous "twins" only due to physical and chemical parameters, and not by external signs. A synthetic fake can be immediately excluded by the presence of inclusions inside the stone. Natural imitations that also have natural inclusions can be sorted as follows: in a special liquid with a certain specific gravity, sapphire falls to the bottom, while a fake floats up. Sapphire is harder than ruby ​​or emerald - when these minerals are held over sapphire, no traces remain.

If a stone is immersed in a liquid with a certain refractive index, the following color distribution can be observed in it: in a synthetic stone there are always curved, differently colored stripes, in a natural one - the stripes are straight and are parallel to one or more faces.

Topaz

Topaz is a natural mineral that feels smooth and cool when touched by the skin. Topaz will attract small particles (for example, napkins) - if rubbed with a woolen cloth. A real stone will sink to the bottom if you put it in a container of methylene iodide. Counterfeits, such as quartz, will not sink. But there are better fakes - imitating even the physical properties of the mineral. With the help of heat treatment, a pale mineral can be ennobled and acquire a brighter color. It is possible to reveal the naturalness of a stone only in the laboratory of a gemologist. The mineral amethyst is faked under topaz by heating. Such a fake will be called "Golden Topaz, Madeira Topaz"

It is exceptionally easy to polish and can sometimes be identified by touch by its characteristic "slipperiness". Synthetic corundum of various shades of pink is used to imitate pink topaz. However, it looks too good to be real.

Chrysolite

Painted glass is more often found as a fake. Unlike a glass fake, chrysolite has a uniform “color” without seals. Also, this mineral is imitated with green plastic, which is naturally easy to scratch. Other minerals that are trying to replace chrysolite can only be determined in the laboratory. It can be either chrysoberyl or tourmaline. It is worth remembering that the large size of this mineral is a very rare occurrence.

Zircon

No stone, with the exception of opal and diamond, can be identified as easily as zircon. With the naked eye or with a simple magnifying glass. Its special brilliance, somewhat reminiscent of diamond and at the same time oily or resinous, combined with a characteristic color scheme, often makes it possible to recognize the stone at first sight. Using a magnifying glass, when looking through the top of the stone, one can see the worn edges of the facets.

Citrine

You can be deceived by slipping cheaper substitutes - ennobled quartz, or heat-treated amethyst. When buying jewelry, you should take into account that the color of natural citrine is not as bright yellow as substitutes can be. It's more of a calm tone. Also, a real mineral, when viewed from different angles, changes its hue from pale yellow to bright yellow. Imitations do not have such properties.

Spinel

Synthetic spinel entered the market in the 1920s. Spinel is easily confused with amethyst, chrysoberyl, garnet, ruby, sapphire, topaz. But experts distinguish spinel very simply - by the absence of birefringence in it.

Amber

Amber is a resin hardened many centuries ago. And it is quite common in gold and silver jewelry. Amber is counterfeited with lower quality minerals or plastics. If you bring a match to a plastic fake, then, accordingly, it will smell of plastic, not resin. On immature amber, when ignited, spots appear. The pressed amber becomes sticky.

Natural amber is electrified by friction, however, some imitations (made of plastic) are also electrified. But if there is no electrification - a clear fake. The following method for determining imitations of amber is very effective. If you draw a strip along the surface of amber with a knife blade, it will give a small crumb, and an imitation of twisted chips. Unlike synthetic materials, amber is easily rubbed into powder. Amber will float in brine (10 teaspoons (topless) of table salt per cup of water), and imitations other than polystyrene will sink. After checking, the product should be thoroughly rinsed in running water so that a salt crust does not form.

Jewelry made of precious stones is a wonderful gift for yourself or for loved ones. It is believed that precious stones have a number of healing properties, and if chosen correctly, they can correct well-being, health, and even luck. But how to choose the right stone?

Tells the collector Evgeny Vikstrem: “The first thing to say is that gems are very often counterfeited, so you should never buy them in dubious places. Go to a well-established store or a jewelry show.

The second point - you need to know how to visually distinguish a real stone from a copy. Contrary to popular belief, natural stones do not often have a perfect appearance - they were created by nature over millions of years, and not masters in the laboratory made a shiny glass in an hour and a half.

For example, rubies are rarely clean, without inclusions and large size - such stones cost thousands of dollars, so when you see an ideal ruby ​​for a couple of tens of dollars, you should already think - is it really a ruby?

The same goes for topazes. To imitate pink topaz, synthetic corundum is used, which is too shiny and sparkling, as for real topaz. "Characteristic features of synthetic emeralds are twisted veils. Quartz can be easily distinguished from glass by touching the stone and glass with your tongue. Real quartz is much colder than glass."

Why is it important to learn to distinguish real stones from fakes? First, not to overpay. It's one thing when you are offered beads made of pseudo-natural stone for $10, and another thing when they sell you a fake for a thousand with the words "this stone is natural." Secondly, synthetic stones do not have the same composition as natural ones, and therefore, accordingly, there can be no talk of any healing properties. And what kind of pleasure can we talk about wearing jewelry if you know that it was made of glass on a stamping machine in 10 minutes?

Imitation and recognition of gemstones

When determining the value of gemstones, errors often occur, especially if the stones are similar to each other or have the same color or colorless.

The main identification marks of diamonds are their high hardness, refraction of light and scattering of colors.

The same high brilliance that a faceted diamond has is possessed by: colorless zircon (during firing it turns yellow, brown and reddish tones), leucosapphire, phenakite, rock crystal, "marble diamond" (quartz), colorless topaz and spinel; they, like diamond, are single-refracting.

Natural ruby replaced by red or pink spinel, tourmaline or topaz. Some blue stones, such as blue spinel, tourmaline or cordierite and cyanite, differ from sapphire in lower hardness and density. Olivine (chrysolite), Russian green topaz and tourmaline, as well as chrysoprase are sometimes mistaken for emeralds.

Behind yellow(gold) topaz citrine is often given out, especially burnt amethyst or rauchtopaz, which turn yellow as a result of firing. Differently colored fluorites that are used as imitations amethyst, topaz, emerald And ruby, are easy to recognize because they have a low hardness (4).

Used in jewelry, dense black opaque onyx, blue chalcedony And apple green chrysoprase are, in fact, skillfully painted (bog) chalcedony. Artificial turquoise in appearance it is no different from natural, but when heated, it turns blue or brown.

Synthetic gemstones resulting from the combination of two stones are called doublets. So-called " real doublet"is a stone, the top and bottom of which are made of a homogeneous mineral (connected with Canadian balsam or mastic). "Artificial doublets", the so-called "mixles", are obtained by melting colored glass (bottom) on a plane of translucent quartz or garnet (top). Loose, loose doublets are easy to recognize.

The most widespread are synthetic precious and semi-precious stones of all shades, imitated by differently colored glass. They are softer than natural stones, scratched with a file, and can also be recognized by their optical properties. They are always unirefringent, and if colored, they never show signs of polychroism.

Diamonds are imitated by transparent, carefully polished glass with strong refraction, under which a mirror substance is usually placed to increase the light effect. Imitations of emeralds have inside the typical defects of natural emeralds. Garnets are imitated with glass, the color of which does not differ from the color of natural garnets. However, glass has a lower hardness and density.

In order to learn to distinguish precious and semi-precious stones from artificial ones, especially those fixed in jewelry, you need to have a lot of experience. It is believed that a specialist recognizes by eye which stone is natural and which is artificial. But this is not possible in all cases! Today's chemistry and technology have made it possible to obtain artificial gems that are similar to natural ones to the smallest detail. Some methods for determining stones require not only professional, but also scientific knowledge, and sometimes special research work.

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It's no secret that women love gemstones. Some men (maybe most), it must be said, also understand a lot about jewelry, trying to profitably invest in gold and diamonds or just to please their beloved.

When investing in diamonds, you should be careful: there are special investment diamonds, not jewelry diamonds.

The rules of the game are now dictated by the consumer, because the supply on the jewelry market greatly exceeds demand. Jewelers are interested in every client, because jewelry is not a matter of prime necessity, and the buyer needs to be interested in time, otherwise he can spend money on something else, more necessary.

The need to purchase a piece of jewelry with a precious stone arises on special occasions: for a wedding, anniversary, birthday and other holidays. Having studied, or, we usually move on to the following questions:

How to distinguish natural stone from synthetic?

How to distinguish a natural gem from a fake?

To answer the first question, we will first make a brief overview of which minerals are most often sold on the jewelry market.

Comparison of natural and synthetic minerals

When purchasing a gemstone, you want to be sure that it is natural. However, many are willing to buy and wear synthetic counterparts, such as synthetic rubies or diamonds, and there is nothing wrong with that. Everyone has their own taste and preferences. The main thing is that under the guise of natural you are not sold synthetic, because this is fraud and deception of the buyer.

Self-respecting jewelry houses and brands do not mislead consumers and will not give out one stone after another. Small manufacturers or sellers can go for deception, who answer the questions: what gem is inserted into the product? and who is the manufacturer ?, they answer: “I don’t know,” and they begin to talk vaguely about the long journey from Iran through Australia, during which information about the manufacturer is irretrievably lost. On the tag of such sellers, the type of product (earrings, for example) and the price are modestly indicated. It may also be written by hand - "ruby", but, as can be understood from the above, you can write anything you want, and usually - the stone with which the most outward resemblance.

Deception in the sale of synthetic stone can only be inflated prices. If a product with artificially grown chrysoberyl is sold for $ 10, then there is no fraud in this. Another thing is if for the same product they ask for 10 times more, 100 dollars, for example, giving out, thus, for a natural gem.

In jewelry stores, as a rule, it is not indicated which stone is natural or synthetic, especially if the products belong to the so-called “budget” niche. But the seller, of course, will easily confirm the origin of the stones from the laboratory and even competently make it clear why synthetic stones are better than natural ones.

But a synthetically created diamond is even more expensive than its natural “relative”.

So, here is how the prices of natural and synthetic stones compare:

Synthetic and natural stones - differences in price

Stone	natural uncut	natural faceted	synthetic uncut, price for 1 carat	synthetic faceted, price for 1 carat
Ruby	$10 and up depending on quality	$75-915 - poor quality; 1455-4375 - good quality; 11250-23150 $ - excellent quality -	0,01-0,02 $	1-2 $
Sapphire	from 10 to 75 $ - poor quality from 75 to 150 $ - good quality from $ 150 and above - excellent quality	Cornflower blue - with heat treatment - from $ 300, without - from $ 1000 High quality large sapphires - up to $30,000	1-2 cents	3-5 $
Emerald	from $10 and up	350-375 $ - poor quality 620-2700 $ - good quality 5000-8500 $ - excellent quality	5-8 $	30-85 $
Diamond (Moissanite)	from 4 $	with characteristic 1/1 - $35,000	not on the market	70-150 $
Alexandrite	from 100$	1500 - 6000 $	6 $	20-30 $
Quartz (amethyst, citrine)	from $10 per kilo!	depending on the type and processing - from 10 $	0,1 $	2-5 $
Opal	from 5 $ per piece	depending on the quality and type - from 10 $	-	3-5 $

The table compares the price of natural and synthetic stones

It can be concluded that natural gems have a very wide range of prices due to their individuality. Unlike them, synthetic ones - with ideal purity and color, are much more affordable (with the exception of moissonite).

How to distinguish a precious stone from a fake?

It is much worse if instead of one natural stone, which is expensive by definition, the seller offers another, also natural, but at a price several times cheaper. Here, information about which stones are most often faked and what to look for when buying them can come to the rescue.

So, the most common fakes are:

- it is most often faked. More than half of the gems passed off as turquoise are fakes. The materials used for counterfeiting are glass, plastic, and the cheap mineral howlite. In addition, fakes are made from turquoise powder or its small particles that stick together. It is quite difficult to distinguish such fakes at home from a natural mineral. It is clear that at home you can scratch the stone from the back to make sure it is natural, and when choosing in a store, you are unlikely to be allowed to scratch the product and carry out other manipulations with it. Therefore, just be aware that natural turquoise is very difficult to find and it is better not to purchase it on the market or from hands.

- Corundum is usually issued for a ruby. A natural ruby ​​is very expensive, besides, it is far from ideal in appearance - unclear, not particularly clean, not to mention modest in size. If you have an excellent quality ruby ​​at an affordable price, it is either a synthetic ruby ​​or a fake. Therefore, the main rule for determining the authenticity of a ruby ​​is the correspondence between price and quality. So, a ring with a ruby ​​that has the characteristics of color and purity of 3/3 and a size of half a carat will cost about $ 300.

There are only a few stones whose fakes are quite easy to distinguish.

Or rather, of course, t. Firstly, the legislation regulates the production and labeling of products with diamonds and, thus, the consumer is largely protected. In addition, everyone knows the simple property of a diamond to scratch glass, as well as the play of rays in it - it is simply impossible to fake it, but it is very easy to consider multiple refraction of rays and an amazing play of light in a high-quality diamond.

It is also easy to distinguish natural opal from its imitation - it has blurry borders of patterns, unlike clear ones in a fake, and the patterns themselves never repeat with each other, you should carefully consider them. In addition, the main background of the natural opal remains unchanged, regardless of the pattern. There is another method that was invented many centuries ago (apparently already then they were engaged in fake stones) - you need to look through the opal in the sun, a natural stone will cast a glow of one shade, and a fake one - bright multi-color highlights.

Zircon - you can recognize it "by eye", without resorting to any manipulations at all. Natural zircon has a luster similar to diamond and at the same time resinous or oily. Shine plus color - and zircon is easily identified.